1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cluster of prenyl transferase from Hevea brasiliensis and a gene cluster encoding said enzyme.
2. Related Art
So far, genes of isopentenyl disphosphate isomerase (IPP isomerase), farnesyl disphosphate synthase, trans-type short chaine prenyl disphosphate synthase of geranylgeranyl disphosphate synthase and cis-type prenyl disphosphate synthase have been isolated from Hevea brasiliensis, and functional analysis of the enzymes encoded by these genes has been performed. As to some trans-type prenyl disphosphate synthases derived from animals and prokaryotes, the correlation between the amino acid sequence and the carbon length of the product (trans-prenyl diphosphate) has been elucidated.
As to known documents that have been published in the past, such documents include patent application related to IPP isomerase of Hevea brasiliensis (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-200276), academic document about cloning of IPP isomerase from Hevea brasiliensis (Soo Kyung Oh et al., J. Plant Physiol. 157(2000) 549-557), academic document about cloning of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase from Hevea brasiliensis (A. Takaya et al., Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1625(2003)214-220), and academic document about cloning of cis-prenyl transferase from Hevea brasiliensis (K. Asawatreratanaku Eur. J. Biochem. 270(2003) 4671-4680).
The enzyme, which function to catalyze ligating isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) with allyl substrate sequentially, is generally referred to prenyl transferase, because it ligates isoprene unit sequentially. In addition, the term prenyl transferase generally means a concept of the enzyme catalyzing condensation reaction between IPP and an isoprenyl diphosphate (C5n) (allyl substrate) and synthesizing new an isoprenyl diphosphate (C5n+1) in which one more isoprene unit is increased.
Prenyl transferase means a cluster of enzymes that synthesizes variety of isoprenyl diphosphates such as geranyl diphosphate (GPP: C10), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP: C15), geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP: C20), geranyl feranyl diphosphate (GFPP: 25) and hexaprenyl diphosphate. The prenyl transferase serves as basic precursor of various terpenoids by ligating isoprene unit, and located in the mainstream of terpenepenoid biosynthesis. Isoprenyl diphosphates that are produced by various prenyl trabsferases are shown in FIG. 1. As mentioned above, prenyl transferase according to the present specification comprehensively indicate enzymes catalyzing the reaction of adding one isoprene unit and includes all enzymes such as geranyl diphosphate synthase, farnesyl disphosphate syshtetase, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, geranyl farnesyl disphosphate synthase and hexaprenyl disphosphate synthase.